Some things from the past aren't missed by anyone; we're thinking rotary dials on telephones and clutch pedals in cars. But when in comes to longleaf pine, the nostalgia is legitimate.

Thick forests of longleaf pine used to cover most of Southeast Texas and much of the eastern United States.

But over the years most of it was harvested, burned or simply cleared away for farms and cities. Its original 90 million acres have shrunk to 3 million acres.

That's a shame, because many native species of animals and plants are dependent on longleaf forests, including at least 29 threatened and endangered species. Finally, forest managers are working to replant the trees that were here when Columbus landed. Village Creek State Park is doing its part, taking out loblolly, shortleaf pine and eucalyptus to replant with longleaf.

That's an effort private landowners in the region could copy. Their land will look better, and be more valuable.